To find a good realtor in Ontario, look for someone who is licensed under RECO, works your area and property type, communicates the way you want, and can explain clearly how they are paid before you commit. The best way to tell them apart is to ask the same set of questions and compare the answers. This guide gives you those questions.
Choosing a buyer's agent is one of the biggest decisions you will make before you even see a home. The right one saves you money and stress. The wrong one costs you both. Here is how to pick well.
What does a good buyer's realtor actually do?
A buyer's agent works for you, not the seller. Their job is to find suitable homes, book showings, run the numbers with you, write and negotiate your offer, manage deadlines, and guide you through to closing.
In Ontario, every licensed agent works under a brokerage and is regulated by RECO under the Real Estate and Business Brokers Act, 2002. That licence sets a baseline. It does not tell you whether the person is good, honest, or a fit for you. That part is on you to check.
How is a buyer's realtor paid, and can they give me cashback?
This is the first thing to understand, because it shapes everything else.
In Ontario, the buyer-side commission is customarily paid out of the sale proceeds, so it usually does not come out of your pocket directly. A rebate, where the agent gives part of their commission back to you as cashback, is permitted in Ontario when it is disclosed. Many buyers do not know this is allowed, so they never ask.
At Zown, the cashback takes the form of a Down Payment Boost: up to 1.25% of the purchase price, to a maximum of $25,000, paid into your savings at closing. On an $800,000 home that is roughly $10,000. Most buyers use it for closing costs and post-closing expenses like furniture and moving.
the maximum cashback a Zown buyer can receive at closing through the Down Payment Boost
You can read more in our guide to a cashback realtor in Ontario and how the money reaches you.
Are they salaried or commission-driven, and why does it matter?
Most agents earn a commission only when a deal closes. That is normal, but it creates a quiet pull: the bigger the price, the bigger the cheque, and no sale means no pay.
That does not make commission agents dishonest. Plenty are excellent. But it is worth knowing where the incentive points, because it can show up as pressure to offer more, move faster, or skip a home that would not close quickly.
Zown agents are salaried. Their pay does not rise with your purchase price and does not depend on rushing you to a yes. That removes a hidden conflict, so the advice you get is about what fits your numbers, not theirs. We cover this trade-off in .